Reinforced gripper sling



26, 1965 J. c. APPLEGARTH 3, 67,

REINFORCED GRIPPER sum Filed Dec. 27. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,/my/jUnited States Patent 3,167,344 REINFDRCEI) GRIPPER SLING John C.Applegarth, R0. Box 143, Cambridge, Md. Filed Dec. 27, 1961, Ser. No.162,465 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-74} This invention relates to. improvementsin gripper slings, and more particularly to a reinforced gripper slingwhich has strengthened edges.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a reinforcedgripper sling wherein the side edges thereof are strengthened so thatthere will be less likelihood of the sling fabric breaking along theedges as has sometimes previously occurred during oifcenter loadings,which cause one edge of the sling to be more strained than the otheredge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced slingedge wherein a plurality of interfitting side bars are positionedcontiguous to the outer side edge portions of the sling and whereinthere is provided a novel and eflicient means for attaching the sidebars as well as the main body portion of the sling to the end fittingsor handles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which is simple in construction, durable in use, andis efficient in operation and economical in manufacture.

The above and other objects will appear more fully hereinafter from aconsideration of the following detailed description in connection withthe accompanying drawing, wherein one desirable form of the invention isillustrated. It is to be especially understood however, that thedrawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not tobe taken as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference beinghad for this purpose to the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer tosimilar part throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational View illustrating the reinforcedgripper sling of the present invention being used for handling a load.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the reinforced gripper sling per seand with parts broken away.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detailed view showing certain constructionaldetails of the reinforced gripper sling of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the handles orend fittings.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates theimproved reinforced gripper sling of the present invention which isadapted to be used for different purposes, as for example a grippersling can be used for handling or engaging a load such as the load 11,and in the drawings the numeral 12 indicates the flexible elongatedinterwoven body portion or belt portion of the sling which is adapted tobe made of a suitable material such as a suitable wire fabric likematerial.

The body portion 12 comprises or embodies a plurality of smoothintermediate spiral sections or wires 13 as well as a pair of end wiresor sections 24, and these spiral wires include intermeshing strands 14which have a plurality of spaced parallel rods or pins 15 extendingtherethrough.

As shown in the drawings, the lengthwise dimension of the rod 16 isgreater than the width of the body portion 12 so that end portions ofthe rod 15 extends out- Hce Wardly beyond the side edges of the bodyportion 12 as for example as shown in FIGURE 4, for a purpose to belater described. The outer ends of the rods or pins 15 may be providedwith enlarged heads 16 whereby the parts will be maintained in theirproper assembled position. As shown in the drawings, there is provided aplurality of interfitting side bars or links 17 which are arrangedcontiguous to the outer side edges of the body portion 12, and the sidebars 17 each have a pair of spaced apart apertures or openings 18therein for the projection therethrough of the end portions of the rods16.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the sling 10 further includes first and second endfittings or handles 19 and 2th which are provided with opening 21 and 22therein for engageinent by a hook such as the hook 23 of FIGURE 1.

The first end fitting 19 is provided with an elongated slot 25 thereinwhereby the end fitting 20 can be selectively extended or projectedthrough the slot 25 when desired or required, and the surfaces of theend fitting 19 adjacent or surrounding the slot 25 are adapted to bebeveled or rounded slightly as at 26 so as to help insure that therewill be no sharp edges to damage the variou parts of the sling.

Each of the fittings 19 and 2b is provided with a main body portion 3%of uniform thickness, and each of the end fittings further includes aportion 27 of reduced thickness which defines a shoulder, and theshoulder 27 has a plurality of spaced apart apertures or openings 28therein for engagement with or for receiving the end spirals 24. Theouter end portions of the opening 28 are tapered or have a flaringformation as indicated by the numeral 29 so that there Will be a minimumamount of friction between the end sections 24 and the shoulder 27 sothat there will be less likelihood of binding occurring at these points.

As shown in the drawings, the inner corner portions of the end fittingshas a plurality of spaced parallelslots or recesses 31 which definetherebetween spaced parallel fingers or lugs 32, and these fingers orlugs 32 have aligned registering apertures or openings 33 therein, andthe opening 33 are adapted to register with corresponding apertures 18in the adjacent side bars 17, whereby the pins 34 can be extendedthrough these registering apertures 33 and 18, and the pins 34 may besecured in place in any suitable manner. The pins of the shoulder 27terminate at points which are spaced inwardly from the slots 31 as shownin the drawings.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a slingwhich has reinforced side edges and wherein with the construction of thepresent invention there Will be less likelihood of thesling breaking atthe sides as for example when offcenter loads are being handled, liftedor the like.

In use, with the parts arranged as shown in the draw ings, it will beseen that the slot 25 in the end fitting 19 provides a means whereby theend fitting 2%) can be extended through the slot 25 so that a hook suchas the hook 23 can be arranged in engagement with the opening 22 in thefitting 29 in order to lift a member or load such as the load indicatedby the numeral 11 in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The sling It includes the main body portion 12 which is of Woven wireconstruction and which includes intermeshing and interfitting spiralsections 13 as well as the end sections 24, and these sections areinterconnected to gether by means of the rods or pins 15, and the endsof these rods 15 have the side bars 17 thereon. Due to the provision ofthe plurality of side bars 17 which are of a predetermined length andwherein the side bars 17 have the openings 18 therein through whichextend the rods 15, it will be seen that a flexible construction isprovided for the entire sling or belt so that not'only do the rodsfunction as pivot pins or axes about which the sections 13 can swivel,but in addition. these rods 15 function as swivel points for the sidebars 17. The side bars 17 are interfitted and interconnected with eachother as shown in FIGURE 4 for example, and there is pro- 'vided in eachcorner of the fitting a slot 31 Whichreceives the adjacent or contiguousside bars 17, and the pins 34 function as pivots for the endmost sidebars '17, and the pins 34als'o extend through the openings 33 andthrough the corresponding openings 18 in order to retain or maintain theend fittings'connected to the adjacent side bars 17 in the desired orrequired manner.

The shoulders 27 of reduced thickness have the openings. 28 therein forreceiving portions of the end spiral sections 24, and it will be seenthat the slots'31 are arranged adjacent the outer end portions of theshoulders 27 so that the side bars 17 will be able to mesh with theslots 31 in the required and desired manner. Due to the provision of theslots 31 and the associatedparts,

it will be seen that the side bars 17 can be firmly and efiicientlyconnected to the end fittings, so that with'the 'end sections '24connected to the openings 28, the entire sling will have a reinforcedand rugged construction, and

wherein the sling is of a flexible construction so that it will fit orreceive loads of different shapes or sizes.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in diiferent shapesor sizes.

The interfitting side bars 17 are arranged" so that they can pivot orflex, whereby the entire sling is flexible, and

' able plastic material can be used to cover the entire sling so astocombine the protection of an elasticcovenngwith shipping bundled lumber,and turning finished tomb- 'stones as well as handling concretevaults.

In addition other uses to which the sling can be conveniently andreadily put are in erecting precast hollow'core concrete beams, handlingstructural beams, positioning paper'ma- 'chine'rolls,handlingcalenderingrolls, moving heat exchangertube bundles, andliftingirregularly shaped objects. The sling of the present invention is suchthat there will be. no load damage, and wherein the sling is safe to useand strong in construction so that the sling ofthe present invention isfast, safe and convenient and easy to use and wherein therein is astrong, gentle grip which provides a saft, sure balance.

1 Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details comingWithin the scope of the invention claimed maybe resorted to inactualpractice,'if desired.

What is claimed is: v 1. A' gripper sling comprising 'aflexibleelongated interwoven body portion comprising a series of smooththe rods 15 function as common pivot points forboth' the p side bars 17and the spiral sections 13. a

As shown in FIGURE 3, the fittings. 19 and 20 on the ends of theslingprovide handles" and whereby the sling can be used in choke hitch. Theend fittings have the line of openings or holes 28, and "the last or endspiral 24 weaves into this line of holes 28.

The side bars 17 serve to strengthen the'edges of the sling; Otfcenterloadings cause 'one edge of the sling to be more strainedthanthe other,and the result is that the sling fabric usually breaks along the edgesfirst. In order to strengthen this edge, the metal strips or side bars17 are provided as shown in the drawing. Theentire I sling has a ruggedand flexible construction 'due' to the I unique manner in which the endspirals 24 are connected to the openings 28 of the shoulders 27,together Withthe manner in which the side bars 17 are positioned andconnected asrat 34 to the end fittings.

The sling constructed according to the present invention is completelyflexible and the slings made according to the present invention canhinge across their width and this means that they wrap snugly aroundsmallorirregularly shaped loads,'and gently hug sharp load edges so thatthere will be no cutting or'scoring of the load; In addition the slingpermits fast easy rigging, and kinking, tangling, or snarling isprevented. Loads can be handled with increased safety and stability,-andthe'slings are made of woven wire spirals in a transverse loop construction and. the slings will give maximum safety since there will beless likelihood of the strands snapping, Weakening or breaking. Also,there will be lower sling maintenance and the sling will have longerlife and greater strength. Because the strong wire loops are interwoven,load tensions aremore evenly distributed throughout the entire lengthand width of the sling to give maximum load capacity at all times. Loadscan be handled gently and the sling can be used in either basket orchoke hitch.

.1 spaced inwardly, from the slots.

intermediate spiral wires and endfwires having intermeshing strands, aplurality of spaced parallel rods extending through said intermeshingstrands and said rods having outer end portions extending outwardlybeyond the side edges of the. body portion," a plurality of inter--fitting side bars positioned adjacent to and along the outer side edgesof the body portion, said side bars having" a plurality of aperturestherein for the projection therethrough of the outer end portions ofsaid rods, with the spacing between .adja'centside bars in-line with thelongitudinal axes of said rodsbeing the'thick'ness of the side barfittherebetween; first and second end fittings having :hook engagingopenings therein, said first end fitting being provided with anelongated slot therein, each of saidend fittings including a portion ofreduced thickness which defines a shoulder that has Ea plurality ofspaced apartopenings therein for engaging theend 'wires of said bodyportion, each' of said end fittings having spaced apart groups of spacedparallel slots which define in the cornenportions of the "end fittingssets of spaced parallel fingers forinterfitting' with adjacent'side barsthere being alignedapertures in saidf fingers and side bars, and pinsextending through said'aligned apertures.

2. The. structure "as defined in ,claim 1 wherein said shoulders havetheir ends terminating at points which are 3. The structure as definedin claim 2 wherein the longitudinal axes of said bars is parallelto thelongitudinal axis of the body portion. Q

References Cited in the file ofthispatent g FOREIGN PATENTS p j1,169,829 France at 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Cambridge Conveyor. Belts,copyright '1956, catalogue published by The Cambridge Wire Cloth Co. ofCambridge, Maryland, page 1l1.

1. A GRIPPER SLING COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE ELONGATED INTERWOVEN BODY PORTION COMPRISING A SERIES OF SMOOTH INTERMEDIATE SPIRAL WIRES AND END WIRES HAVING INTERMESHING STRANDS, A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL RODS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID INTERMESHING STRANDS AND SAID RODS HAVING OUTER END PORTIONS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE SIDE EDGES OF THE BODY PORTION, A PLURALITY OF INTERFITTING SIDE BARS POSITIONED ADJACENT TO AND ALONG THE OUTER SIDE EDGES OF THE BODY PORTION, SAID SIDE BARS HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THEREIN FOR THE PROJECTION THERETHROUGH OF THE OUTER END PORTIONS OF SAID RODS, WITH THE SPACING BTWEEN ADJACENT SIDE BARS IN-LINE WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF SAID RODS BEING THE THICKNESS OF THE SIDE BAR FIT THEREBETWEEN; FIRST AND SECOND END FITTINGS 